Sacramento New Taxi Moratorium Could Be Extended

A two-year-long moratorium on new taxi cabs in the city of Sacramento could be extended at tonight's Sacramento City Council meeting.

The Department of Finance is asking the council for a nine-month extension on the moratorium. The city is working with the taxicab industry and the council's law and legislation committee to come up with new rules for cabs in the city.

Department of Finance says the city has been studying how cabs charge customers, how much pollution cabs emit, and how calls are dispatched.

“Taxi companies using cell phones to dispatch -the problem with that is taxi drivers themselves sometimes actually dispatch while they're driving their vehicle and then call another taxi to pick up a fare, says Brad Wasson with the Department of Finance. "That can be pretty dangerous."

The city proposes flat fares for trips within downtown and to the airport. Other changes could include emissions requirements and vehicle age restrictions. Credit card readers in cabs could also be required.